compressors as guitar distortion devices

[jeff robertson]

Who here fools around with using compressors to add distortion to "clean" direct recorded guitar?

I don't mean compressing a signal for consistency or sustain purposes, with a distortion effect either before or after the compressor in the effects chain. I mean deliberately setting the parameters of the compressor so that it is what squares off the waves and causes the distortion.

Ratio is surprisingly less important than threshold and attack/release. With a sufficiently low threshold and absolutely 0 attack and release times, even a 2:1 ratio will introduce recognizable soft-clipping overdrive, like a clean amp breaking up.

Release time (or, rather, lack thereof) is critical. Compressors have release time, clippers don't. To make your compressor be a clipper, you have to disable the release.

On the one hand, it seems a waste of time to (mis)use a compressor for this when the digital world is lousy with pretty convincing simulations of amps and stompboxes, not to mention plain old clipping plugins. But it's fun to mess around with. Especially if you then route the now-distorted signal through a clean amp/cab simulation. I actually do this on an undisclosed number of my fights.

I'm particularly intrigued by the possibilities offered by multiband compressors, but haven't really messed with them much.

Ideas?

[Rabid Garfunkel]

Errr... sort of, but not quite. Stomp boxes and mic'ed cleanish amps. Was using a Blues Driver to give a creamy distorted growl to my single pickup slide playing, but when I switched to a hollowbody with humbuckers, it was much too much.

Running it through a MXR SuperComp stomp (output 100%, Attack ±70%, Sensitivity ±30%) gave me something pleasing enough to contribute to my getting dropped from last year's Nur Ein in the "Bullets and Lovers" round, heh.

[HeuristicsInc]

I did this for one of the remixes I did on the drum track. I love the sound it gave the drums for that one.
-bill

[jeff robertson]

Yeah I think I misnamed the thread, because looking back over my fights, I realized that I probably do this for vocals, drums, and keyboards more than for guitars. The principle remains the same, though.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I've never done it intentionally, but I have noticed it happens if I have to over compress a wild ranged vocal track or poppy bass. I always end up re-recording the track because I don't like the over compressed sound.

As far as guitar, I only have a hand full of person FX and in the chains have gates and compression set just so. So my guitar is recorded exactly the way I want it when I record. Panning and the rare EQ adjustment are the only things that get messed with after I record my guitar.

[ken]

I really enjoy using Camel Crusher for this type of thing.

http://www.camelaudio.com/camelcrusher.php

Also, my secret weapon: Vintage Warmer!

http://www.pspaudioware.com/